The Medical Lake City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance at its Nov. 3 meeting changing how the city deals with fireworks during periods of extreme fire danger.
Ordinance 1044 amends the city’s municipal code regarding discharging fireworks so that now, when certain conditions are met, the Fire Department’s fire chief “may prohibit the discharge of all fireworks” in the city. According to the ordinance, this takes effect under extreme fire danger, which the section defines as “a period of hot, dry weather accompanied by low fuel moistures.”
Under questioning from Councilman John Paikuli, Medical Lake Assistant Fire Chief Corey Stevens said the department receives burn-ban advisories from a number of sources. The National Weather Service provides information on atmospheric conditions, including humidity levels and predictions along with the heat index, while the Department of Natural Resources furnishes data on fuel loads such as moisture content.
Stevens said that any decision regarding bans is also made in consultation with Mayor John Higgins and City Administrator Doug Ross. They also receive fire information from other area agencies.
“It would be a collaboration of all of that,” Stevens said.
Medical Lake resident and former City Council member Lahnie Henderson expressed her support for the ordinance by reading a letter to the council. Henderson has advocated for banning fireworks in the past, including while on the council, and noted that residents the past two summers have had to endure unhealthy air conditions due to numerous large wildfires in the region.
Henderson said this past summer the city mailed two flyers to the citizens asking them to voluntarily not discharge fireworks over the July 4 period. She noted the flyer statement “Please do not light any fireworks of any kind this Fourth of July Weekend” was highlighted in red.
“While many of our neighbors respected the City’s request to refrain from lighting fireworks, many residents chose to be disrespectful to the local government, its citizens and their neighbors,” Henderson wrote.
Ross told the council the ordinance language “may declare” likely leaves the city free of liability should it not declare a ban and have a fire started by fireworks under dry conditions. He also said the public would receive amply notification of any move through the media and other notices.
“It wouldn’t be taken lightly by any stretch,” Ross added.
Stevens said they receive fire data in seven-day increments, and would have sufficient time to make a decision before fireworks stands opened in the city, usually around July 1. Councilman A.J. Burton noted that stand operators receive a city-authorized license to sell fireworks several months in advance, and could face problems should the city elect to ban discharging fireworks later.
Stevens said they would insert language into the contract so that stand operators are made aware of the possibility discharging fireworks could later be banned due to weather conditions. The ordinance didn’t prohibit people from buying fireworks and discharging them elsewhere.
If passed, Medical Lake’s city attorney, Dennis McMullen, said the ordinance wouldn’t take effect immediately. According to state law, the ordinance would take effect one year after passage, approval and publication.
John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.
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